On paper, Sarah Myer looks like she has it all figured out.

As Chief of Staff & Strategy for the Indiana Sports Corp., she’s helped lead some of the biggest sporting events in Indianapolis — from NCAA Final Fours to the Olympic Swim Trials — operating on some of the biggest stages, with thousands watching.

But behind the scenes, her story is far more human -- and relatable to so many other badasses.

In this episode, Sarah opens up about the moments that shaped her — navigating divorce, grief, loss, and now walking alongside her mom through a cancer diagnosis — and how those experiences changed the way she leads, lives, and shows up for others.

At the center of it all is one belief: vulnerability isn’t weakness — it’s a superpower.

We talk about:

• The difference between who people think you are vs. who you really are
• Why sharing your story helps others feel less alone
• Finding your voice — even when it’s uncomfortable
• What it means to be one of the only women in the room — and who you’re really speaking for
• Redefining leadership and workplace culture for women
• Rediscovering yourself after life changes everything

This conversation is honest, real, and deeply relatable — a reminder that strength doesn’t always look like having it all together.

Sometimes, it looks like showing up anyway.

Carly Swift and Mandy Selke — known as the Just Pop In Twins — have spent more than two decades building their popcorn business into a beloved Indianapolis brand.

Their gourmet popcorn has been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people — from local families to travelers passing through the Indianapolis airport, as well as major brands and national events.

But behind the success is a much deeper story.

In this episode of Badassery Life, Mandy and Carly open up about the realities of building a business for more than 20 years — the risks they took, the pressure that comes with entrepreneurship, and the moments when the business began to take a toll on their personal lives, their families and even their friendship.

At one point, they paused and asked a difficult question: What matters most?

This conversation is raw, vulnerable and incredibly honest — a reminder that success isn’t just about what you build, but about protecting the relationships and life that matter most along the way.

We talk about:

• The bravery it takes to start something from nothing• The emotional weight of running a business for more than two decades• When success starts to strain the people you love most• The power of stepping back, reflecting and redefining what comes next

At their core, Mandy and Carly see themselves as connectors and creators of joy — people rooted in hospitality, community and taking risks.

www.justpopinpopcorn.com

In this episode, we sit down with Casey to talk about what it looks like to lose yourself… and then fight your way back.

She shares openly about:

• Being a single mom raising a daughter with serious medical challenges

• Losing her husband to suicide

• Surviving years of toxic messaging that chipped away at her confidence

• Stepping into leadership in the male-dominated world of asphalt and infrastructure (yes, with a blush pink hard hat)

• Finding the courage to pursue modeling after being told she wasn’t enough

• Blending families and choosing joy again

Casey is passionate, driven, and real — and this conversation is honest, empowering, and at times laugh-out-loud relatable.

If you’ve ever felt like your circumstances were trying to define you… this one is for you.

Welcome to a story of resilience, reinvention, and pink hard hats.

Michelle Corrao — author of Found: Triumph Through Gratitude — shares her journey through trauma, survival, and the long road back to herself.

We talk about:
• The moment everything changed (on Sept. 12, 1996, she survived a violent abduction by three strangers)• How anger and denial became her best friends
• What healing really looks like -- how she healed and has found joyMichelle's life has been shaped by resilience, faith, and service. Her story includes real chaos, real trauma, and real darkness - and how she turned the unimaginable pain into purpose.

Head to her website to dive deeper into her story — and listen to the song written in honor of her journey.

www.michellecorrao.com

What if the bravest thing you could do was turn your life upside down — and trust yourself to land on your feet?

In this first guest episode of our new season, we sit down with Amanda Kingsbury — writer, journalist, co-founder of Indy Maven, and Managing Editor of Innovation at Mirror Indy — to talk about reinvention, sobriety, friendship, and why starting over in midlife isn’t a failure… it’s a flex.

Amanda opens up about the moment that led her to quit drinking, why she once did a cartwheel every day for a year after her divorce, and how loneliness, curiosity, and community journalism have shaped this current season of her life.

We talk about empty nesting, losing friends to distance and change, and why friendship — not romance — is the relationship she values most.

If you’re navigating a transition, questioning what’s next, or trying to trust yourself in a season that feels uncertain, this episode is for you.

Welcome to a new chapter of Badassery Life.

Kelly returns with a new co-host: Tina McIntosh and the two of them turn the mics on each other to talk about who they are, why THIS podcast, and what it looks like to show up — even when life is messy.

They cover everything from navigating grief and big life shifts to microdosing the aging process, Taylor Swift–level “new era” energy, and why sometimes showing up really is enough.

Think honest conversation, some laughter, and the kind of perspective you didn’t know you needed.

This is Badassery Life!

If you’re new here, this is the perfect place to start.
If you’ve been listening for a while, welcome to the next chapter (new era)!

Season 6 | Episode 16

In this powerful episode of Badassery Life, Kelly sits down with Linda Calvin, a national tech leader, attorney, storyteller, mentor, and fierce advocate for women and Black leaders in tech. She's also a survivor of childhood trauma and she's boldly telling that story.

Her journey is layered — growing up as the only Black child in a white family, surviving childhood sexual abuse, learning early to shrink, silence, and compartmentalize herself just to make it through.

But Linda didn’t stay in those shadows.

Inspired by a single hour of escape each week — Star Trek — she began imagining bigger worlds and eventually stepped into her own. Today she’s a VP in higher education, a writer, a leader, and a woman learning every day that she matters.

This conversation is raw, real, courageous — and full of hope.

Season 6 | Episode 15

In this episode, Kelly sits down with bestselling author and Loudmouth Books founder Leah Johnson — a woman using her voice, her books, and her bookstore to champion joy, representation, and radical visibility.

Leah’s debut novel, You Should See Me in a Crown, was named one of TIME’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time. Since then, she’s become a literary force and the bold, brilliant mind behind Loudmouth Books, an Indianapolis bookstore dedicated to uplifting banned, challenged, and marginalized voices.

In this conversation, Leah opens up about:

• How she discovered her voice — and why she refuses to shrink

• Writing stories rooted in joy, humor, queerness, and belonging

• Building Loudmouth Books as a space for visibility and community

• How she protects her creativity while navigating burnout and pressure

• What gives her hope in a time of censorship and cultural pushback

Leah Johnson shows us what it looks like to live loud, love boldly, and make space for others to be seen. Learn more about her at byleahjohnson.com.

If you live in Indianapolis, visit her bookstore: Loudmouth Bookstore.

season 6 | episode 14

Amanda Bonilla is a powerhouse advocate, speaker, and connector who’s made it her mission to create spaces where women can thrive. A first-generation college graduate, she’s navigated challenge and change with courage — from being the “first and only” Latina voice in many rooms to launching WE Brunch, an intentional gathering that empowers women through connection and conversation.

In this episode, Amanda shares how her early experiences shaped her resilience, what it means to build an ecosystem of support, and why representation and reinvention matter now more than ever.

She encourages you to use your own voice, create your own table, and lift up others along the way.

Season 6 | Episode 13

Jennifer Pace Robinson is the creative force and badass behind The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis -- the largest children’s museum in the world. After nearly 30 years of saying “yes” to bold ideas, she’s now the President & CEO, leading with curiosity, courage, and a whole lot of badassery.

From dinosaurs and princesses to global villages and powerful exhibits like Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See, Jennifer has turned imagination into impact and made learning come alive for millions. Her story proves that curiosity can change the world — and reminds us it’s not just for kids.

"I’m not afraid to step outside my bubble…to travel, try something new, meet someone new, build a relationship that makes something bigger than I could have done happen." - Jennifer Pace Robinson

In this episode, we dig into:
• How Jennifer worked her way from intern to CEO
• The “impossible” projects that actually worked
• What curiosity and creativity teach us about leadership
• How she balances innovation, vulnerability, and joy

childrensmuseum.org